Octavio Dotel was unavailable to pitch out the Tigers’ bullpen yesterday because of lingering elbow soreness and may need a stint on the disabled list.

“The inflammation’s still there,” Dotel told Jason Beck of MLB.com. “It doesn’t go away. We’re just going to see how it will be on Tuesday.”

In other words, if the 39-year-old reliever isn’t feeling better after the Tigers are off today he’ll be DL bound. Beck notes that Dotel’s fastball velocity is down about three miles per hour this season, dipping below 90 mph for the first time in his lengthy career, and he’s allowed seven runs in 4.1 innings after pitching for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.